18 



Tiie seeds, in samaras or keys about an inch long, are matured in 

 Sei)tember. They may be picked from the tree, or a little later swept 

 together under the tree, as they are usually very plentiful. They 

 are very sensitive to being dried out and therefore should be sown 

 at once. The rows should be about eight inches apart and the seeds 

 six inches apart in the rows. A very light cover of earth is suffi- 

 cient, but put a layer of leaves over the beds for the winter. The 

 seeds may be kept over winter if stratified with sand just slightly 

 moistened, then sown early in spring. During the first season the 

 young i)lants will need shade. They may remain in the seed beds 

 two years and then be set out permanently at three, four or five foot 

 distances. Prune off any branches that may have formed. The 

 sugar maple has been planted in pure i)lantations and also in mix- 

 ture with white ash, walnut, oak, birch and others. It is among the 

 best of the trees suitable for street planting. 



What is known as black sugar maple is a variety of Acer sacchar- 

 inum and is propagated in the same manner. 



The striped maple (Acer Pennsylvanicum, L.), so called from the 

 striped appearance of its bark, is of little importance except as an 

 ornamental tree. Its seeds ripen in September and may be raised 

 as the above. It is found in cool ravines and endures considerable 

 shade. 



SILVER MAPLE, WHITE OR SOFT MAPLE. 

 Acer dasycarpum, Ehrh. 

 Acer saccharinum, L. See Britton <& Brown, Vol. II, p. 397. 



This is perhaps the most rapid grower among the maples, and it 

 is adapted to any soil, but it is of very little value. The keys are 

 large, veiny and diverging. The seeds ripen early in summer, in May 

 or June. They may be swept up under the trees and should be sown 

 at once. If planted in moist beds and given a light cover of earth 

 it will not be long before the young plants put in an appearance. 

 Sow the seeds in rows about twelve inches apart and in distances of 

 eight inches in the row. If started in good soil one year will be suffi- 

 cient time in the nursery, but if in poor soil they will take tw^o years 

 to grow to a size suitable for planting. These plants are apt to 

 branch young, so when planting, if they are branchy or crooked, cut 

 them off just above the ground. The sprout that will be formed will 

 make up for the growth that has been lost. 



